Vancouver killer of teenage ex-girlfriend sentenced to life; 16 years before he's eligible for parole

Kim Bolan, Vancouver Sun04.10.2013

Harry Randhawa speaks to media surrounded by family members at BC Supreme Court for the sentencing of Inderjit Singh convicted in the murder of Vancouver teen Poonam Randhawa, in Vancouver, April 10, 2013.Nick Procaylo
/ PNG

Poonam Randhawa's grandmother (l) known as Mataji Randhawa arrives at BC Supreme Court for the sentencing of Inderjit Singh convicted in the murder of Vancouver teen Poonam Randhawa, in Vancouver, April 10, 2013.Nick Procaylo
/ PNG

Friends and family members of Poonam Randhawa arrive at BC Supreme Court for the sentencing of Inderjit Singh convicted in the murder of Vancouver teen Poonam Randhawa, in Vancouver, April 10, 2013.Nick Procaylo
/ PNG

A former Vancouver man accused of killing a teenaged girl in 1999 has pleaded guilty to second degree murder. Ninderjit Singh changed his plea at the Vancouver Law Courts on March 11, 2013 as his murder trial was set to begin for the fatal shooting 14 years ago of Poonam Randhawa.PNG files
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Ninderjit Singh has admitted to second-degree murder in the shooting death of Poonam Randhawa (pictured), whose body was found near her Vancouver high school.PNG files
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Ninderjit Singh has admitted to second-degree murder in the shooting death of Poonam Randhawa (pictured), whose body was found near her Vancouver high school.PNG files
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VANCOUVER - After more than 14 years, the family of murdered teen Poonam Randhawa can finally move forward after the man who gunned her down was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday with no hope of parole for 16 years.

“We can breathe again,” her cousin Harry Randhawa said after the sentencing. “We’ll focus on rebuilding our family and looking towards the future and thinking about how we can take the beautiful things that Poonam stood for and use them in a positive way.”

B.C. Supreme Court Justice Bruce Butler described the anguish suffered by Randhawa’s family because of the actions of killer Ninderjit Singh both before and after the brutal Jan. 26, 1999 slaying of the bright high school student.

Not only did Singh shoot his girlfriend in the head and dump her in a Vancouver alley, he then fled to the U.S. where he hid out until he was captured by police in Aug. 2011.

“For more than 12 years, the Randhawas could not rest. They were denied closure and any sense of justice,” Butler said as Randhawa’s family packed the courtroom.

“They feared for themselves and for others knowing that Mr. Singh was still at large. It is difficult to comprehend the additional pain cause by Mr. Singh’s disappearance and failure to take responsibility for his actions.”

Singh pleaded guilty to second degree murder last month as his trial was set to begin.

"The remorse that he expressed in his statement to the court can only be described as too little and far far too late," Butler said.

He said Singh, now 35, deserved a longer parole ineligibility period than the 10-year minimum for second degree murder.

“The aggravating factors are many. Mr. Singh’s moral culpability is high. The murder was committed with considerable forethought. It was proceeded by other acts of violence. It was committed in violation of an intimate relationship and it was committed with an illegal firearm,” he said.

Singh’s young wife Navdeep, with whom he had two daughters while on the run, sobbed after hearing Butler’s ruling. Her in-laws hustled her out of the Vancouver Law Courts without speaking to reporters.

Butler said recorded conversations from prison in which Singh swore at his wife and threatened her "demonstrate continued bullying of women in his life."

Harry Randhawa said he thought Singh’s wife and children would be safer now that he is behind bars.

“Throughout the case, it was clear that he is an abusive individual. His callous disregard for everyone around him, including his own family members was clearly shown. I think for the most part, her and her children are far better off without him,” he said.

Randhawa also said he hopes that criminal charges will now be pursued against Singh’s relatives who supported him financially while he was a fugitive, even paying for him to get a false identity.

In fact, it was Singh’s desire to alter his fingerprints that allowed Vancouver Police to capture him after an elaborate undercover sting. Cops found Singh in California by posing as organized criminals who cozied up to Singh’s brother and offered to arrange surgery to change his fingerprints.

“We hope that this result will lead to further charges against those members of his family that helped him evade and hide and run and change his identity all those years,” Randhawa said. “We hold them just as responsible for this. We just pray for that.”

VPD Const. Brian Montague said Wednesday that police will now review the file to see whether there is sufficient evidence to support charges against others in the case.

Singh’s lawyer Russ Chamberlain had asked for the minimum parole eligibility period, noting that Singh had pleaded guilty and committed the murder in a jealous rage. Crown prosecutor Sandra Cunningham had asked for a minimum of 17 to 20 years in jail.

Cunningham said Wednesday that she was “extremely relieved for Poonam Randhawa’s family and friends that their long ordeal is finally over.”

“We are grateful to the Vancouver City Police department, particularly Det. Ross Clark, for his tireless commitment to finding Ninderjit Singh and putting together a very strong case for the Crown,” she said. “We as Crown Counsel and representatives of the people of British Columbia, are satisfied – very satisfied - and so reassured that our rule of law and our system of criminal justice has prevailed even after 14 and a half years.”

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Vancouver killer of teenage ex-girlfriend sentenced to life; 16 years before he's eligible for parole

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